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TimHay's avatar
TimHay
Aspirant
Feb 16, 2020

How can I use wifi without an internet connection. What kit do I need?

We have a BT Homehub 5 and a NETGEAR Wi-Fi Booster Range Extender EX3700. The Homehub modem router is in the hall of my home and the extender is on the landing. My devices are connected to the extender which I have connected to the hub, all by wifi. I listen to music stored on the hard drive of my computer over the wifi on my wireless speakers. this works fine most of the time. However, there are frequent, usually short but occasionally long interuptions to our internet connection, such as when the gas men cut our phone/internet cable outside our house. The loss of our internet connection means an interuption to streaming around the house and an interuption to the music. Could you let me know what features I need, and/or examples of models I could buy which have these features, of modem routers or range extenders which would allow me to avoid this issue and listen to music or print documents uninterupted?

I would particularly appreciate suggestions which aren't too expensive and in other respects am quite happy with my setup. Something along similar lines, dual band for example, with Fastlane, would be good. 

10 Replies

  • plemans's avatar
    plemans
    Guru - Experienced User

    A different router is going to be your best bet. 

    the extender routes everything through the ISP supplied router. If the ISP router is causing issues on the LAN whenever the wan is going down, thats directly related to the router/isp setup. 

    • TimHay's avatar
      TimHay
      Aspirant

      plemans wrote:

      A different router is going to be your best bet. 

      the extender routes everything through the ISP supplied router. If the ISP router is causing issues on the LAN whenever the wan is going down, thats directly related to the router/isp setup. 



      Thanks for that, it pretty much confirms the impressions I had already. Does anyone know what features I need to look for when I replace my modem/router or extender so I get streaming on my LAN sorted?

      • plemans's avatar
        plemans
        Guru - Experienced User

        I don't think its a specific feature. It should be inherent to the router functioning properly. 

        I didn't have internet for a while and streamed off both a plex server and off just a network folder (for music) in my home without issue. This was years ago on an older R6300v2. 

        I haven't had to worry about it in a long time. If you had an older router or could even borrow a router, you could test if its an issue with your isp supplied device. Just hook up the other router without connecting it to wan/internet and put your device with the media on it. If it functions properly, its an issue with the isp supplied device. If it doesn't, its the computer/device streaming.